Galen Simonhttp://jimhillmedia.com/contributors1/b/galen_simon/atom.aspxCommunity Server2008-12-01T00:00:00ZMrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant celebrates 75 years of great service/contributors1/b/galen_simon/archive/2009/06/16/mrs-knott-s-chicken-dinner-restaurant-celebrates-75-years-of-great-service.aspx2009-06-16T04:00:00Z2009-06-16T04:00:00Z<p>Long before Walt Disney dreamed of turning an Anaheim orange
grove into <a href="http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/parks/landing?name=DisneylandParkLandingPage" mce_href="http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/parks/landing?name=DisneylandParkLandingPage">the Happiest Place on Earth</a>, there was this <a href="http://www.knotts.com/coinfo/history/index.shtml" mce_href="http://www.knotts.com/coinfo/history/index.shtml">berry stand</a> in <a href="http://www.buenapark.com/" mce_href="http://www.buenapark.com/">Buena
Park</a>.</p>
<div align="center"><i><b><img src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Knott%27s-Berry-Stand-web.jpg" title="Knott's Orginal Berry Stand" alt="Knott's Orginal Berry Stand" mce_src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Knott's-Berry-Stand-web.jpg" width="500" height="318"><br> Courtesy of the
<a href="http://www.orangecountyhistory.org/" mce_href="http://www.orangecountyhistory.org/">Orange County Historical Society</a></b></i></div>
<p>During the depths of the Great Depression, <a href="http://www.nps.gov/home/historyculture/upload/MW,pdf,KnottBio,b.pdf" mce_href="http://www.nps.gov/home/historyculture/upload/MW,pdf,KnottBio,b.pdf">Walter</a> &amp;
<a href="http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/local/santaana/article_2205832.php" mce_href="http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/local/santaana/article_2205832.php">Cordelia Knott</a> kept their 20-acre farm afloat by selling boysenberries out
there along Highway 39. In an effort to increase sales, the Knotts began offering
Cordelia’s homemade <a href="http://www.knottsberryfarmfoods.com/ProductDetail.aspx?categoryName=Jam&amp;productId=2" mce_href="http://www.knottsberryfarmfoods.com/ProductDetail.aspx?categoryName=Jam&amp;productId=2">jams</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.knottsberryfarmfoods.com/ProductDetail.aspx?categoryName=Signature%20Collection&amp;productId=19" mce_href="http://www.knottsberryfarmfoods.com/ProductDetail.aspx?categoryName=Signature%20Collection&amp;productId=19">jellies</a> along with fresh-picked berries. </p>
<p>But even then Walter &amp; Cordelia weren’t bringing in enough
money to support their growing family. Which is why the Knotts decided to add a
tea room to their farmhouse. Where they hoped to serve tea &amp; jam to
passersby.</p>
<p align="center"><i><b><img src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Knott%27s-Berry-Place-web.jpg" title="Knott's Berry Place" alt="Knott's Berry Place" mce_src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Knott's-Berry-Place-web.jpg" width="500" height="302"><br> Courtesy of the Orange
County Historical Society</b></i></p>
<p>But then when the Knotts had trouble filling all five of
those tables that they’d crammed into that tea room … Well, that’s when Walter
suggested that they add Cordelia’s famous chicken to the menu. Which had always
been a favorite with friends &amp; family.</p>
<p>So on June 13, 1934, the first chicken dinner was served at
what was then known as Knott’s Berry Place. And someone must have liked what
was on the menu that day. For the business quickly out-grew that teeny tiny
tea room. To the point where <a href="http://www.knotts.com/camplace/dine_restaurant.shtml" mce_href="http://www.knotts.com/camplace/dine_restaurant.shtml">Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant</a> eventually
grew to become seven sprawling dining rooms that could feed 4,000 people on a
typical Sunday night.</p>
<p align="center"><i><b><img src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/MrsKnotts-Chicken-Dinner-Re.jpg" title="Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant" alt="Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant" mce_src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/MrsKnotts-Chicken-Dinner-Re.jpg" width="500" height="317"><br>
Courtesy of the Orange County Historical Society</b></i></p>
<p>“And who exactly served all of that chicken?,” you ask. Why
the army of waitresses that Walter &amp; Cordelia hired over the years. Many of
whom return to Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant this past Saturday for a
special 75<sup>th</sup> anniversary reunion / luncheon.</p>
<p>There were employees on hand from every decade that the
restaurant had been in operation. As music played …</p>
<p align="center"><i><b><img src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Knotts-Anniversay-4-web.jpg" title="Knotts Annicersary" alt="Knotts Annicersary" mce_src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Knotts-Anniversay-4-web.jpg" width="460" height="312"><br> Photo by Alice Hill</b></i></p>
<p>… Guests dined on – what else – Mrs. Knott’s fried chicken,
rhubarb and boysenberry pie. And state &amp; city resolutions were read,
honoring the restaurant’s 75<sup>th</sup> anniversary, Snoopy went from table
to table. Working the room like a well-seasoned politician. </p>
<p align="center"><i><b><img src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Knotts-Anniversary-2-web.jpg" title="Knott's Berry Farm Anniversary" alt="Knott's Berry Farm Anniversary" mce_src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Knotts-Anniversary-2-web.jpg" width="330" height="480"><br> Photo by Alice Hill</b></i></p>
<p>But the real guest of honor at Saturday’s event was <a href="http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-4143320/Knott-s-Berry-Farm-Heiress.html" mce_href="http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-4143320/Knott-s-Berry-Farm-Heiress.html">Marion
Knott</a>, was Walter &amp; Cordelia’s last surviving daughter.</p>
<p align="center"><i><b><img src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Knotts-Aniversary-3-web.jpg" title="Knotts Berry Farm Anniversary" alt="Knotts Berry Farm Anniversary" mce_src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Knotts-Aniversary-3-web.jpg" width="500" height="453"><br> Photo by Alice Hill</b></i></p>
<p>During her remarks, Marion said that “… I was afraid that –
when we sold the Park to (<a href="http://www.cedarfair.com/" mce_href="http://www.cedarfair.com/">Cedar Fair L.P.</a> back in 1997) – that <a href="http://www.knotts.com/" mce_href="http://www.knotts.com/">Knott’s Berry
Farm</a> would be a cold plastic corporate place. But I think that they’ve done a
tremendous job of keeping up the warm family atmosphere.” </p>
<p>And given all of the hugs and the tears that I saw in that
banquet hall this past Saturday afternoon, that family feeling really does live
on at Knott’s.</p>
<p>After lunch, Marion and all of the Chicken Restaurant vets
trouped outside for a brief rededication ceremony (which recognized Knott’s
status as an Orange County historic landmark) as well as a group photograph.</p>
<p align="center"><i><b><img src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Knotts-Anniversary-1-web.jpg" title="Knotts Berry Farm Anniversary" alt="Knotts Berry Farm Anniversary" mce_src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Knotts-Anniversary-1-web.jpg" width="500" height="412"><br> Photo by Alice Hill</b></i></p>
<p>But for all the Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant employees
who were looking on, this was just another Saturday. And as soon as this 75<sup>th</sup>
anniversary party cleared out of the
Courtyard, it was back to business as usual. Which – these days – means cooking
up &amp; then serving, on average, 1,000 chicken a day. </p>
<p>And speaking of serving … On June 22<sup>nd</sup>, as a
special fundraiser for the <a href="http://www.ckwellnesscenter.org/" mce_href="http://www.ckwellnesscenter.org/">Cordelia Knott Wellness Center</a>, Mrs. Knott’s Chicken
Dinner Restaurant will be holding a local celebrity server night. So if you’d
like to get in all the 75<sup>th</sup> anniversary fun as well as help out a
really great cause, drive on out to Buena Park next Monday night.</p>
<p align="center"><i><b><img src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Chicken-Dinner-Sign-web.jpg" title="Knotts Chicken Dinner Sign" alt="Knotts Chicken Dinner Sign" mce_src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Chicken-Dinner-Sign-web.jpg" width="500" height="396"><br></b></i></p>
<p>You’ll be berry glad that you did.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://jimhillmedia.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=17769" width="1" height="1">Jim Hillhttp://jimhillmedia.com/members/Jim-Hill/default.aspxCould a slow holiday shopping season translate into a very scary New Year for the Walt Disney World Resort?/contributors1/b/galen_simon/archive/2008/12/01/monday-mouse-watch-could-a-slow-holiday-shopping-season-translate-into-a-very-scary-new-year-for-the-walt-disney-world-resort.aspx2008-12-01T05:00:00Z2008-12-01T05:00:00Z<p class="body">Ho Ho Ho ! Give Us More of Your Dough !</p>
<p class="body">That's the none-too-subtle message that the Mouse has been trying to get across to both Disney World Cast Members as well as Guests these past few weeks. With retail spending levels at <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/index?bhcp=1" mce_href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/index?bhcp=1">the Resort</a> being 'way off this holiday season, Mickey's doing everything he can to encourage people to open their wallets over the next few weeks.</p>
<p class="body">For Cast Members, this means that Mickey has just extended their 50%-off-Christmas-shopping-privileges 'til December 13th. Not to mention giving these very same employees a 40% discount should they opt to have a holiday meal at a Resort restaurant like <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=OliviasCafeDiningPage" mce_href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=OliviasCafeDiningPage">Olivia's Café</a> and <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningListing?id=CaribbeanBeachResortDiningListingPage" mce_href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningListing?id=CaribbeanBeachResortDiningListingPage">Shutters</a>.</p>
<p class="body" align="center"><b><i><img src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/WDW-Holiday-Shopping-web.jpg" mce_src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/WDW-Holiday-Shopping-web.jpg" width="440" height="435"><br>Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved</i></b></p>
<p class="body">For WDW Guests ... Well, if you dine at one of WDW's finer character dining establishments over the next few weeks, at the end of your meal -- along with your bill -- you'll be present with a coupon for an absolutely free WDW lithograph.</p>
<p class="body">So what's the catch? The only place you can go on property to claim your free litho is a shop deep inside <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/moreMagic/moreMagicLanding?id=DTDLandingPage" mce_href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/moreMagic/moreMagicLanding?id=DTDLandingPage">Downtown Disney</a>. Which (Mickey hopes) you'll do some additional shopping at once you've parked your car and hiked all the way into WDW's retail / entertainment district in order to reach that store.</p>
<p class="body">Mind you, Disney World isn't the only part of the Mouse House that's now trotting out additional shopping incentives. Remember last week how <a href="http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2008/11/25/tune-tuesday-if-disney-theatrical-getting-ready-to-mark-down-mary.aspx" mce_href="http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2008/11/25/tune-tuesday-if-disney-theatrical-getting-ready-to-mark-down-mary.aspx">I mentioned</a> that <a href="http://disney.go.com/theatre/" mce_href="http://disney.go.com/theatre/">Disney Theatrical</a> was doing everything in its power to compell consumers to buy tickets to <a href="http://disney.go.com/theatre/thelittlemermaid/#/home/" mce_href="http://disney.go.com/theatre/thelittlemermaid/#/home/">its</a> <a href="http://disney.go.com/theatre/marypoppins/#/home/" mce_href="http://disney.go.com/theatre/marypoppins/#/home/">Broadway</a> <a href="http://disney.go.com/theatre/thelionking/#/home/" mce_href="http://disney.go.com/theatre/thelionking/#/home/">shows</a>? Well, this morning at 10 a.m., Mickey is rolling out <a href="http://disneykidsgofree.com/" mce_href="http://disneykidsgofree.com/">yet another promotion</a>. Which -- if you buy a full-priced seat for one of Disney's musicals -- will then allow you to take a child 18 and under along with you to that show <i><b>for free</b></i>.</p>
<p class="body" align="center"><b><i><img src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Disney-Broadway-Christmas-w.jpg" mce_src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Disney-Broadway-Christmas-w.jpg" width="500" height="227"><br>Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved</i></b></p>
<p class="body">There is -- of course -- a catch. In that, in order to take advantage of Disney on Broadway's Kids Go Free offer, you must buy your tickets by December 13th. Which -- not-so-co-incidentally -- is when that shopping extension for WDW Cast Members run out.</p>
<p class="body">Getting back to Walt Disney World ... There are some very scary rumors currently making the rounds about how far down advance reservations for the Resort are for the month of January. According to one Disney insider that I spoke with late late week, to date only 35% of the resort's available room nights have been booked for the coming month.</p>
<p class="body">Should this rumor prove to be true ... Well, you can expect the Mouse to roll out some pretty spectacular packages as we get closer &amp; closer to January. With Disney doing whatever it can to put some heads in beds in those 32,000 hotel rooms that it now owns &amp; operates on property.</p>
<p class="body" align="center"><b><i><img src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Coronado-Springs-Resort-web.jpg" mce_src="http://www.jimhillmedia.com/mb/images/upload/Coronado-Springs-Resort-web.jpg" width="480" height="225"><br>Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved</i></b></p>
<p class="body">Meanwhile -- to in order to keep costs down at the Resort in the coming year -- Mickey's cut hours for the formerly full-time Cast Members at <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/resorts/resortLanding?id=CoronadoSpringsResortLandingPage" mce_href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/resorts/resortLanding?id=CoronadoSpringsResortLandingPage">Disney's Coronado Springs Resort</a> (These folks now only work 32 hours a week). Not to mention putting the brakes to bringing back <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/special/specialEventLanding?id=PiratesandPrincessPartySpecialEventNextGenPage" mce_href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/special/specialEventLanding?id=PiratesandPrincessPartySpecialEventNextGenPage">Mickey's Pirate &amp; Princess Party</a> at the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/parkLanding?id=MKLandingPage" mce_href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/parkLanding?id=MKLandingPage">Magic Kingdom</a> during the first half of 2009.</p>
<p class="body">And then when you add in all of the salaried employees who have been told by their WDW managers that lay-offs are a very distinct possibility for 2009 ... It's just not shaping up to be a very Happy New Year at the Walt Disney World Resort.</p>
<p class="body">But what about you folks? Have you already made plans to travel down to WDW in 2009? Or are you still waiting to see what other incentives the Mouse trots out?</p>
<p class="body">Your thoughts?</p><div style="clear:both;"></div><img src="http://jimhillmedia.com/aggbug.aspx?PostID=16890" width="1" height="1">Jim Hillhttp://jimhillmedia.com/members/Jim-Hill/default.aspx